Equity, Disproportionality and Design

Dr. Adam Clark is the current Superintendent of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District, having joined in July 2020. Prior to this, he served as the Superintendent of the Vallejo City Unified School District. Dr. Clark has also held various leadership positions in education, including Associate Superintendent of Educational Services, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, and principal at all three levels. He earned his doctorate from Saint Mary's College of California.

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Josh Chuck is a fourth-generation resident of San Francisco's Chinatown, where his family has deep roots, including doctors, merchants, teachers, and pastors. With over 25 years of experience as a youth worker, filmmaker, and fundraiser, he is deeply committed to his community. He recently co-directed his first feature documentary, CHINATOWN RISING, alongside his father, Rev. Harry Chuck and has presented the film in various forms to over 260 audiences. He also recently co-directed the film Making Waves: The Rise of Asian America Trailer, which premiered in March 2025. Josh takes great pride in the rich history of activism in his community and is passionate about sharing these vital stories in a personal and engaging way.

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Chinatown Rising Website

Chinatown Rising Trailer

Making Waves: The Rise of Asian America

Making Waves: The Rise of Asian America Trailer

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As an Author of CHAMPIONS Creed, Speaker and NCAA, WNBA & NBA G-League Broadcaster, Marke Freeman works with organizations, teams and individuals worldwide educating, equipping and empowering through sports.She has explored all four corners of sports as a Professional Athlete, College Coach, Sports Analyst and Director of Player Development for her own Skills Academy – Max-OUT Basketball. Following her professional playing career she immediately found her purpose impacting from the sidelines at University of Missouri – Kansas City and later Washington University – Saint Louis completing her coaching career with a 75% winning record, even making an Elite Eight Appearance in the 2019 NCAA Tournament.She is passionate about three initiatives:1.) Educating Youth through sports. This is why she founded Max-OUT Foundation in 2013. A non-profit organization with a mission to “Maximize Opportunity, Unity and Training” which serves over 600 youth yearly!2.) Equipping World Class Leaders. As the Author of CHAMPIONS’ Creed, Marke serves coaches, teams, execs & fortune 500 companies on the essentials needed to Build and Sustain a Winning Culture. She instills within them not only the mental foundations of success and the motivation to achieve, but also the actionable strategies that will empower them to grow,improve, and thrive.3.) Empowering Coaches. Marke works with Brands such as WeCoach, Hudl, NBC’s On Her Turf, Point Guard College and many others to enhance the culture of coaching across all sports and at all levels.Truly living through her world, Marke is an acclaimed teacher who has helped thousands create the results they seek. But, most people know her as an ordinary woman with an extraordinary message that has shifted the trajectory of many lives.

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CHAMPIONS Creed

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Max-OUT Foundation

Lighthouse Press Publishing

S.P.E.A.K. Like a Pro

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Joseph Clevenger Assistant Superintendent of Student Services and Programs at the San Diego County Office of Education, overseeing student safety, Juvenile Court and Community Schools, and Special Education Services. As a former Superintendent with over 20 years of educational experience dedicated to expanding equitable access and opportunities for all students, he understands the impact of Systems work through collaboration.  Since his arrival, Joseph has been building departmental connections and is engaged in advancing SDCOE’s goals of reducing poverty and increasing the sense of belonging for every student and staff member within the organization.

Dr. Rebecca Penh is an Executive Leadership Coach in the Learning and Leadership Division at the San Diego County Office of Education. Dr. Penh is an educator with over 20 years of experience.  Within that time she has been a classroom teacher, Resource Teacher (where she provided instructional training and support for all teachers), a school principal, and a district administrator.  This continuum of learning has led to her current work as an executive leadership coach here at the San Diego County Office of Education where she supports schools.  Her work and passion is rooted in educational equity, access and opportunities for marginalized communities.  As the Region 8 for the California Association of Asian and Pasifika Leaders in Education known as CAAPLE, she ensures that CAAPLE’s mission and vision is implemented throughout her area and members are empowered to learn, grow, collaborate and build skills to support students. 

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CAAPLE

CAAPLE Conference 2025

Ken Shelton (He/Him/His) is a highly distinguished, multi-award-winning professional and best-selling author in the field of education. He holds a Master’s degree in Education with a specific focus on Educational Technology and New Media Design and Production. His academic background is complemented by over two decades of teaching experience, with a significant part of his career devoted to shaping young minds at the Middle School level. Ken is an esteemed and highly sought-after thought leader in education, particularly in the areas of educational technology, learning experience design, and leadership development. Ken’s expertise also extends to the sphere of policy-making/policy advisement, including being a notable figure on a California State Superintendent of Public Instruction’s Education Technology Task Force. 

His most recent impact in the area of AI includes supporting the development of school/district/system policy, advisement, professional development planning, and leading workshops for educators across all levels of responsibility.

He is the co-author of a best-selling book on the topic of artificial intelligence titled, “The Promises and Perils of AI in Education: Ethics and Equity Have Entered the Chat.” Ken has garnered many awards within education and educational technology. He has been recognized by the International Society for Technology in Education with two awards. Ken was the proud recipient of the Digital Equity Professional Learning Network Excellence Award in 2018 and the Making IT Happen Award in 2022 due to his extraordinary commitment, leadership, courage, and persistence in improving digital learning opportunities for students. 

To learn more about Ken Shelton, please visit our website at equityandesign.com

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The Promises and Perils of AI in Education: Ethics and Equity Have Entered the Chat

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⁠Mindful Musings Blog

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Dr. Tracey A. Benson, CEO of Tracey A. Benson Consulting and founder of the Anti-Racist Leadership Institute, received his doctorate in Education Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Masters of School Administration from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He has served as an assistant professor of educational leadership, high school principal, middle school vice-principal, and elementary school teacher. His research explores the vestiges of structural racism in K-12 education that continue to impede the academic success of students of color. His book, Unconscious Bias in Schools: A Developmental Approach to Exploring Race and Racism, was released with Harvard Education Press in August 2019.Resources:Anti-Racism Leadership InstituteUnconscious Bias in Schools (Book):Anti-Racism Leadership Institute Podcast: The Binary Code or Racism (Ted Talk)

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Anti-Racism Leadership Institute

Unconscious Bias in Schools (Book)

Anti-Racism Leadership Institute Podcast

The Binary Code or Racism (Ted Talk)

Dan Engel is a visionary and dynamic non-profit, social enterprise, operating, financial and investment executive who has spent the past 16 years devoted to impacting the communities in which he lives, works and operates. Dan began his professional career as an investment banker, helped build a company that was sold to Berkshire Hathaway, became a nonprofit junkie, resumed his financial career managing a single-family office and more recently specializing in the design, acquisition and management of life insurance. 

Dan is the co-founder, board member emeritus, treasurer and coach of the Miracle League of San Diego and is the co-founder, CEO and mentor of Pitch it Forward. He is also an inspirational speaker who tells stories of perseverance. Dan is a stage four metastatic melanoma survivor who is one of the earliest immunotherapy success stories in America. In its Summer 2020 issue, Cancer Health magazine named Dan to its inaugural list of 25 Change Makers. He is the author of Thriving Through Cancer – How I Conquered the Medical, Personal and Professional Impacts of Cancer. 

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MiracleLeagueofSanDiego.org

ThrivingThroughCancer.com

Linnette Castañeda is currently the Director of Educational Services for National School District.  She has served as an instructional assistant in Special Education, a teacher in elementary schools, a resource teacher, and a principal. Under her principalship, her school became recognized as a PBIS Platinum Level school.  During her leadership, she has organized the district's inaugural Back to School Resource Fair, hosted the first Secret Santa Event in collaboration with Costco Optical, and is set to launch its first 6th Grade Student Summit. This summit will prepare students for the transition to secondary school, addressing topics like peer pressure, A-G requirements, AVID, and the various opportunities available to them. She is an advocate for family engagement and community support. Her passion is uplifting families and sharing that dreams can come true if we turn our dreams into goals.

High Quality IEPs (HQ IEPs) Resource Lead Project works collaboratively within the Statewide System of Support to increase the knowledge and engagement of families and students and build the capacity of LEAs, COEs, and SELPAs so that IEP design and development will result in educational benefit. Additionally, they provide technical assistance to LEAs identified by the California Department of Education as needing targeted assistance.

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Heather DiFede is the Executive Director for East County SELPA. She is currently serving on the IEP Expert Panel for California. Under her leadership, East County SELPA has recently administered the IEP Technical Support and Assistance (ITSA) Grant awarded by CDE and is currently serving as an Exemplar for Interagency Collaboration for the California Early Childhood Special Education Network. As a SELPA Administrator, Ms. DiFede has served as the Chair of the SELPA Administrators’ Association, and additionally is serving or has served as co-chair for the following Association Committees: Forms, CALPADS & Compliance, Local Plan, and Interagency Collaboration. She has also served on numerous statewide committees including the Dashboard Alternate School Status, College and Career Indicator for Alternate Schools, AB 2657 Restraint & Seclusion Workgroup, and the Students with Disabilities Collective. Ms. DiFede was also awarded the 2016 Special Education Administrator of the Year for California by the Association of California School Administrators.

Leo Mapagu is the Executive Director for Santa Clara County SELPAs I, II, III, IV and VII. Mr. Mapagu started his career in the Ravenswood City School District (RCSD), which placed heavy emphasis on IEP compliance and improved outcomes for underserved students with disabilities. During his tenure in RCSD, he participated in various activities to assist district administration in meeting corrective action plan and self-improvement plan requirements. Mr. Mapagu is a collaborator, as is evident by the various partnerships he has developed. He has worked with San Jose State University and Santa Clara County Office of Education’s (SCCOE) Educator Preparation Program to train teachers in a variety of special education topics. He has also partnered with Parents Helping Parents to serve as a panelist and present on special education and IEP-related topics. As a SELPA Administrator, Mr. Mapagu is serving or has served as co-chair of the following SELPA Administrators’ Association Committees: Forms, CALPADS & Compliance, Parent Engagement, Local Plan, and Related Services.

Jennifer Yales, Ed.D firmly believes that all students can learn–her passion for this belief, and a strong sense of responsibility, drive Dr. Yales in her advocacy for the development and implementation of structures and systems that facilitate learning for all students. She is a lifelong learner with over twenty years of experience as a Special Education professional. For sixteen years she worked in a large, urban school district in California, growing from a school psychologist before being promoted into an administrative leadership role within the district, ultimately advancing to the position of SELPA Director. Prior to going the HQIEP grant, Dr. Yales served as the Senior Director for the System Improvement Leads (SIL) project for five years.
Dr. Yales is certified as a Master Practitioner in Compassionate Systems and her doctoral work focused on parent perceptions of collaboration during the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. As a parent of a son with autism, Dr. Yales is committed both professionally and personally to providing equitable education for all students.

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High Quality IEPs

Empowering Futures Article